


Hot Granddad Hardy

by DirtyBrian



Category: Broadchurch
Genre: F/M, Gen, Teen Pregnancy, ellie being patient through the whole thing probably, hardy being an awkward nerd
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-08
Updated: 2017-02-08
Packaged: 2018-09-22 19:34:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9622502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DirtyBrian/pseuds/DirtyBrian
Summary: When he learns that Daisy is pregnant, Hardy's first priority is to support his daughter. Ellie's first priority is to support Hardy. Her second priority, naturally, is to tease him.





	

A clunk in the other room, followed by a long, dramatic sigh, sent Ellie looking for Hardy. She found him in the living room, staring blankly at the floor.

 

“Alec, what’s wrong?” She hurried over to the couch and squatted in front of him. He was oddly still, and didn’t move to meet her eyes. She squeezed his hands, trying to get some reaction, and he moaned softly. “Alec, love, what’s wrong?”

 

“Dais--” he made a strange gurgling sound and took a deep breath. “Daisy called me.”

 

“What happened?! Is she all right?” Ellie sprung from the floor, panic rising. “I’ll pack the bags, we can be to Sandbrook by tonight. We can--”

 

“She’s pregnant.”

 

“ _ What _ ?!” She froze, gaping at him. “I didn’t even know she was seeing anyone!”

 

He gulped, eyes wide. “I didn’t either. But she just called me. Crying and...and telling me she’s sorry.” He looked up at Ellie, a myriad of emotions playing across his face. “She thought she had to apologize to me.”

 

“Oh, Alec.” She sat down on the couch next to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. He shuddered slightly before relaxing into her touch. He turned and buried his face in her neck; she pretended she didn’t feel the hot sting of tears on her skin.

 

“I’m not mad,” he mumbled, pulling her close. “I just…” he took a deep breath and let it out slowly, before raising his head. “I hope she knows that.”

 

“She knows,” Ellie said firmly, cupping his cheek. “She knows how much you adore her. Everyone knows how much you adore her.” He smiled weakly. “C’mon. We’re gonna go see her.”

 

“Now?”

 

“Now.”

 

***

When they arrive in Sandbrook, it’s late enough that they decide to wait until the next morning to go see Daisy. Hardy is a nervous wreck during the entire check-in and drops his credit card twice before Ellie finally takes pity on him.. 

 

They’re given the same room that they’d ended up in their first stay in Sandbrook. Ellie can’t hide her smirk, but she doesn’t think that Hardy will appreciate the humor. He’s keyed-up enough as it is. 

 

It isn’t until they’ve been in bed for more than half an hour, Hardy twitching every three seconds, that Ellie finally goes off.

 

“Calm down!” she snapped, nudging him with her shoulder. He grunted and rolled away from her.

 

“Sorry,” he muttered, pulling the blankets tight around him, and Ellie sighed, immediately feeling bad. She scooted closer, spooning behind him, and reached forward for his hand.

 

“C’mon, relax. It’s all gonna be fine.”

 

He scoffed. “Daisy’s pregnant.”

 

“Yeah, she is. It happens. It’s gonna be fine.  And you’re gonna be a hot granddad.”

 

Hardy froze. “I  _ beg _ your pardon?”

 

Shit. Ellie hadn’t meant to say that out loud...yet. “Uhhhh.”

 

“Hot?” He twisted out of her grasp to turn and look at her incredulously. “Are we talking about the same person?”

 

She looked at him and arched her eyebrow, suddenly taken with the desire to burst out laughing. Again, she didn’t think he’d be in the mood. Instead, she snuggled up to him and pressed a kiss to his forehead. “Yeah, hot.Hot Granddad Hardy”

 

He looked at her like she’d gone spare for a moment, then relaxed, rolling his eyes but giving her a small smile. She returned it and pulled him closer, settling her head on the pillow and closing her eyes.

 

She was drifting off when she heard him speak. “Thanks, Ellie.”

 

***

 

The next morning, they arrive at Tess’s house early, but Hardy hesitates before knocking, looking like he’d rather bolt than go inside. He stands still, brooding for a few minutes and looking at Ellie helplessly before Tess sticks her head outside the door, looking exasperated.

 

“For god’s sake, Alec, get in here.” She ushers them in and, after giving Ellie a curious look, takes their coats. “Daisy is in there.”

 

“Thanks, Tess.” Hardy made for his daughter’s room, looking grim, but Tess catches his arm.

 

“Go easy on her, Alec, yeah? She’s scared to death.” He gave her a hard look before nodding slightly.

 

“I will. Promise.”

 

Daisy was sitting on her bed, toying with her phone, but not doing anything productive. Hardy poked his head in the door and took in her tired, scared demeanor. For a moment, he didn’t see his seventeen-year-old daughter, but instead the little girl she used to be, waiting for her dad to check for monsters under the bed.

 

She must have sensed his presence, because her head snapped up. As soon as her eyes met his, they welled with tears and her face crumpled.

 

“Daddy?” Her voice shook. He crossed the room in three strides and pulled her into his arms. Her body shook with sobs, and his heart broke for her.

 

“Hush now, sweetheart,” he murmured into her hair as she clung to him, tears quickly soaking through his jumper. “Everything is going to be all right, darling. I promise.” He rocked her back and forth gently, holding her tightly.

 

After a moment she pulled back and wiped her eyes. She looked miserable. “I’m s-so sorry,” she said softly, eyes still teary. “I did-dn’t mean for this to happen.”

 

“Darling, you have nothing to be sorry for, all right?” His voice was low and insistent, and he kept his tone as even as possible. He didn’t want to scare her further. “I’m just worried about you.”

 

“I’m f-fine,” she sniffled, and his heart broke. He knew what she was doing, trying to keep everyone out; he had done it himself far too many times in the past. He pulled her close once more and tucked her head underneath his chin, rocking her once more. She was still for a moment, then her arms wrapped around him and she clung to him, like when she was little and had had a nightmare.

 

“You’re going to be all right, Daisy,” he murmured into her hair. “You’re not going to be alone for this, I promise.” He’d talked to Tess on the phone the night before, knew that the father had dumped her as soon as he found out Daisy was pregnant. It had taken every ounce of restraint he’d possessed to not hunt the boy’s family down and yell himself hoarse. That wouldn’t help the situation. He was where he needed to be.

 

He held her for a long moment before he heard a soft noise behind him. It was Ellie, tears in her eyes, standing hesitantly in the doorway. In her hand she held a glass of water and a box of tissues. He nodded towards the nightstand and mouthed ‘thank you’ at her, before returning his attentions to Daisy.

 

“Daize, sweetheart, look at me.” She pulled away from his chest, but her red-rimmed eyes refused to meet his. “Daisy, please. I promise I’m not mad.”

 

“Why?” she asked shakily, her tone tinged with bitterness. “I fucked up. I disappointed you and mum. I’m completely alone. I couldn’t even keep myself from--” she gestured towards her abdomen with a disgusted look on her face, and he made a soft noise in the back of his throat.

 

“Daisy, c’mon darling.” A gentle hand underneath her chin was enough for her to meet his gaze. “Yeah, things are a bit shit right now. There are things you could have done to make things less shit, but there’s no use beating yourself up about it now.”

 

“That’s rich, coming from you.” He was thrilled to see a bit of a wry smirk on her lips, even if was at his expense.

 

“Ah, well. I’ve become wise in my old age,” he teased gently, then sobered. “You aren’t alone, Daisy. Your mother and I love you...more than we can possibly say. And we will be here with you, even if that boy isn’t.”

 

“I still disappointed you,” she said, and her chin trembled as she held back tears.

 

“No, sweetheart, you didn’t.” He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, eyes tender. “You told us. You didn’t try to hide it, you didn’t run away. You’re dealing with this in a very grown-up way, and I’m proud of you. All right?”

 

She nodded, ducking her head once more to bury it in his chest. He rocked her for a moment longer, holding her close, desperately wanting to shield her from the pain he knew she was feeling.

 

“Thank you, dad,” she whispered against the fabric of his shirt. Neither one of them bothered to move. “I love you lots.”

 

“I love you lots too, darling.”

 

***

 

_ Seven Months Later _

 

Ellie was going to punch him.

 

“Sit the hell down,” she growled quietly, yanking on his shirtsleeve. He slumped into the chair next to hers, already twitching.

 

“This is ridiculous. What’s the point of the hospital if she’s going to be in labor for-” he consulted his watch- “fourteen bloody hours!”

 

“Alec, you’ve been through this before. It takes as long as it takes. You have to be patient.”

 

He shifted in his seat, and she rolled her eyes. She felt a little bad for being so short with him, but as soon as they’d gotten the text that Daisy was in labor, they’d broken several traffic laws to get them to Sandbrook as as soon as possible. Hardy had been a nervous wreck the entire time, talking to Daisy on the phone in the car and nearly getting into a fight with a nurse who wouldn’t let him into the birthing room. Eventually, they’d been ushered to the waiting room, where they’d been sitting for the past six hours. Understanding as she was, Ellie was at the end of her rope.

 

As the minutes wore on, Hardy became more and more restless, twitching and tapping his foot. Ellie was nearly ready to send him to the cafeteria for (more) tea when Tess came bursting out of the birthing room, her face shining with excitement.

 

“It’s a girl,” she said, and Ellie could see the tears in her eyes.

 

Alec shot up, and he looked so unsteady on his feet that Ellie hurriedly got to her feet to wrap an arm around his waist.

 

“Is she all right?” Ellie asked, because Alec looked as though he was having trouble breathing, let alone vocalizing anything.

 

“She’s fine,” Tess said, though her eyes narrowed slightly at Ellie’s supportive arm. “They’re both fine, they’re perfect.” She refocused her gaze on Hardy. “Daisy wants to see you now.”

 

Alec nodded mutely, his eyes suspiciously bright.

 

He peered into the room for a moment before going in, and what he saw made his heart stop. Daisy was propped up in the bed, a nurse at her side, and she was looking down a small bundle in her arms. The look on her face was so tender, and he felt an unabashed wave of pride well up on him. This was his little girl, holding his granddaughter.

 

He crept in quietly, not wanting to startle Daisy or the babe. The nurse looked up at him and gave him a small smile, before leaving the room.

 

“Hi, dad.” Daisy looked exhausted, her cheeks were pink and her hair was a wreck. She looked so much like Tess after Daisy was born that his heart skipped a beat.

 

“Hello, darling,” he murmured, coming around to the edge of the bed. A small noise from Daisy’s arms drew his attention, and he looked down at his granddaughter. 

 

Objectively, he knew that newborn babies were odd-looking. Her face was red and squished, and the dark shock of hair on her head was sticking up in every direction. She had a scowl on her face that matched his, and she waved a tiny fist in the air. He decided, completely logically, that she was the single most beautiful baby that had ever existed.

 

“Well, hello there,” he whispered, knowing that if he spoke any louder, his voice would crack. Daisy raised her arms to pass the baby to him, and his breath caught. With all the care he was able to muster, he took the small bundle and cradled her in his arms. Startlingly blue eyes looked up at him (with curiosity, he imagined- of course she was a brilliant child).

 

“What’s her name?” he murmured, body falling naturally into a soothing motion, an unconscious move borne from many months of rocking baby Daisy to sleep. He was still transfixed on his granddaughter, even as he asked Daisy the question.

 

“Dunno yet.” He glanced up at her questioningly. “I wanted to see what her personality was like before I chose anything,” she explained, and he nodded.

 

“Your mum and I did the same thing.” He smiled at the memory, of agonizing over a perfect name, knowing that no name would ever be as perfect as she was. They’d only settled on Daisy because the hospital was getting grumpy about her birth certificate, and daisies were the first flowers they’d seen after she was born. 

 

He’d just opened his mouth to tell Daisy exactly this when the doors flung open, revealing Tess and Ellie. Ellie crossed over to him after giving Daisy a warm smile, while Tess went to Daisy’s side.

 

“Oh, aren’t you precious,” Ellie whispered, a wide grin blossoming on her face as she saw the red cheeks and dark tuft of hair cradled in Hardy’s arms. He thought he was going to burst with pride as she reached up to softly stroke the baby’s soft cheek. He looked down at her for another long moment, memorizing all of her features, counting her fingers and toes, and pressing a gentle kiss on her forehead, before handing her back to her mother. 

 

Daisy, who (predictably) was exhausted, bustled them out of the room, promising they’d have more time to visit the next morning. Tess said goodbye (and even gave them both a quick hug, much to Ellie’s surprise) before departing to take a nap and make some phone calls.

 

Now that the most stressful part was finished, Alec realized the adrenaline of the past fifteen hours had taken its toll, and he was exhausted. Ellie must be the same- more so, even, after dealing with his fussing.

 

“C’mon, let’s go get checked into the hotel.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close for a moment, before tugging her gently towards the exit. She rested her head on his shoulder and her arm draped around his waist.

 

“Think she’s gonna be okay on her own?” she asked, thinking of how exhausted and overwhelmed she’d been after Tom and Fred were born- and that was with her family and a host of nurses at her side.

He thought for a moment, about how strong Daisy had been through the whole pregnancy and how much she’d grown up over the past months. “Yeah,” he said, voice only a little choked. “Yeah, I think she’s going to be all right.” He smiled down at Ellie, eyes bright. 

 

“Well then,” she said, trying to keep her emotions under wraps. “Let’s go take a nap, Hot Granddad Hardy.”

 

He sputtered indignantly all the way out to the car.

 


End file.
